Page:Minutes of War Cabinet Meeting 2, 11 December 1916.djvu/1



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1. THE Chief of the Imperial General Staff reported that while the greater part of the British Reinforcements that we had undertaken to send to Salonica had arrived there, the French were still very behind as only part of the first two divisions they had agreed to send had arrived. Some 7,00 British Drafts still have to be sent, but the French force at Salonica is short of some 50,000 drafts.

The First Sea Lord said that the French had asked for the loan of five troop-ships and four horse transports; they had requisitioned all their own available shipping, having taken up twenty-nine extra ships, and still had to find seven hospital ships. The Admiralty had looked into the question and found it impossible to lend the five troop-ships. The War Office had been asked if they could spare four of our horse transports if we did not send any more divisions to Salonica, but had not yet replied. 1365-2